What's In A Number???

I was looking thru my photos the other day and ran across these 2 of a MP15DC:

The photo of the unit in Southern paint was taken in February 1989 (?) at the nearby Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line yard. I question the date on the back of the photo because of the foliage in the photo. The date may be when I had it developed.

I'm not sure when I took the photo of the NS unit, but I expect it was at Lambert's Point.

The Southern unit has some CofG initials under the cab number (what's the "F" signify?), but I can't make it out (CofG maybe). The NS unit has "SOU".

Anyway, I thought it was kinda cool that I stumbled across these 2 photos, not knowing I had taken photos of the same engine, different day!

5/31/128:02 AM

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LOCOMOTIONOGR Forum Member

(F) means front of the locomotive. LOCOMOTION

5/31/129:03 AM

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Bob DelbridgeOGR Forum Member

The reason I asked is I've never seen it on the cab like that before, thanks!

5/31/129:27 AM

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Hot WaterOGR Forum Member

Originally Posted by LOCOMOTION:

(F) means front of the locomotive. LOCOMOTION

No, that isn't the small "F" he is asking about. Look to the right of the numbers painted under the cab windows. That small "F" is a computer verification code, which the Southern Rwy. used on all their diesels. In case someone mis-entered a diesel unit road number, the "verification code letter" would tell the computer system to reject that road number, since it had the wrong numbers reported.

5/31/129:30 AM

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